Invalid lift



Nov. 14, 1967 B. G. TURPIN INVALID LIFT 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed April 22, 1966 FIG.1

ATTORNEY Nov. 14, 1967 Filed April 22, 196e B. G. TURPIN INVALID LIFT B. G. TURP/N INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,351,959 INVALID LIFT Bobby G. Turpin, Box 13a-B, Springtown Star Route, Weatherford, Tex. 76086 Filed Apr. 22, 1966, Ser. No. 544,422 4 Claims. (Cl. 5-83) ABSTRACT F THE DSCLOSURE A swinging seat and hoist arrangement which in one application thereof advantageously may be used to transfer an invalid patient from a wheel chair to a bath tub and back again. Comprises, in combination with an overhead track having a wheeled carriage thereon, the combination of a hand operable hoist having a frame, a reel rotatable on the frame, and a crank acting on the reel, through speed reducing gears, to turn it relative to the frame, a length of cable wound on said reel and having its free end connected to said carriage whereby said hoist is suspended from said carriage for vertical adjustment relative thereto, a horizontally extending elongated member below said hoist having means intermediate its endS whereby it is pivotally connected to the frame of said hoist for rotative adjustment about a vertical axis, flexible linkage connected to opposite end portions of said elongated member and depending therefrom, and a detachable seat having a pair of light weight side frames removably connected to said flexible linkage and depending therefrom, and having flexible bottom and back portions, conformable to the body of a patient seated therein, extending between said side frames.

This invention relates to an invalid lift, and it concerns more particularly a swinging seat and hoist arrangement which in one application thereof advantageously may be used to transfer an invalid patient from a wheel chair to a bath tub and back again.

The invention is useful in hospitals and nursing homes, and in individual homes where an invalid patient may be in residence for an extended period of time. It is intended as a device to make easier the care of the aged and the ailing, particularly the chronically ill, and to make the patient more comfortable.

The invalid lift of the invention includes, in combination with an overhead track having a wheeled carriage thereon, the combination of a hand operable hoist having a frame, a reel rotatable on the frame, and a crank acting on the reel, through speed reducing gears, to turn it relative to the frame, a length of cable wound on said reel and having its Vfree end connected to said carriage whereby said hoist is suspended from said carriage for vertical adjustment relative thereto, a horizontally extending elongated member below said hoist having means intermediate its ends whereby it is pivotally connected to the frame of said hoist for rotative adjustment about a vertical axis, flexible linkage connected to opposite end portions of said elongated member and depending therefrom, and a detachable seat having a pair of light weight side frames removably connected to said flexible linkage and depending therefrom, and having flexible bottom and back portions, conformable to the body of a patient seated therein, extending between said side frames.

In use the above mentioned overhead track may be secured to a bath room ceiling, for example, and may extend partly over a bath tub and partly beyond one side or one end thereof, and the detachable seat, in association with the hoist, may be employed to transfer an invalid patient from a wheel chair to the bath tub and back again.

Initially the seat may be placed in the wheel chair in its detached position preparatory to transferring an invalid patient from a bed to the wheel chair, and thereafter the 3,351,959 Patented Nov. 14, 1967 patient may remain in the seat en route to and from the bath room in the wheel chair, while being transferred from the wheel chair to the bath tub and back again, and during the bath. The seat may remain in the bath tub with the patient, and may or may not be disconnected from the hoist during the bath.

The invention will be readily understood by referring to the following description and the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an invalid lift embodying the invention, and

FIG. 2 is a View similar to FIG. 1 showing the swinging seat turned in a different direction.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral 1 designates generally an overhead track of conventional design which in used advantageously may be secured to a bath room ceiling, for example, and which may extend partly over a bath tub and partly beyond one side or one end thereof. A wheeled carriage, indicated generally by the numeral 2, which is arranged to travel along the track 1, has an eye bolt 3 depending therefrom. The invalid lift of this invention, which is indicated generally by the numeral 4, is suspended from the eye bolt 3 as hereinafter described.

The invalid lift 4 includes a hand operable hoist, indicated generally by the numeral 5, which has a frame 6 and a reel 7 rotatable on the frame 6, and a crank 8 which acts on the reel 7, through speed reducing gears 9, to turn it relative to the frame 6. The hoist 5 advantageously may have a gear ratio ofthe order of about 45:1, for example.

The hoist 5, as illustrated, is available commercially, and may be obtained from Process Engineering Co., Crystal Lake, Ill.

A length of aircraft cable 10, which is wound on the reel 7, has its free end connected to the eye bolt 3 whereby the hoist 5 is adapted to be suspended from the wheeled carriage 2.

An elongated tubular member 11, which is arranged horizontally, is suspended from the frame 6 of the hoist 5 by an elongated bolt 12 which is passed upwardly through an opening therefor in the elongated member 11, intermediate its ends, and is connected by its threads t0 the underside of the frame 6.

A pair of chains 13, which are comparatively short andy of substantially the same length, are connected at one end, by a pair of eye bolts 14, to opposite ends of the elongated member 11, and depend therefrom.v The chains 13 have a pair of hooks 15 on their lower ends for use as hereinafter described.

A detachable seat 16, which has a pair of light weight side frames 17, and has flexible bottom and back portions 18, 19, conformable to the body of the patient, extending between the side frames 17, has its side frames 17 connected to the chains 13 by the hooks 15.

The side frames 17, as shown, each consistent of a single rod which is bent intermediate its ends to form a horizontally extending bottom side 20, a pair of vertically extending sides 21, 22 extending upwardly from the bottom side 20, and a pair of upwardly converging sides 23, 24 each connected to one of the vertically extending sides 21, 22 in spaced apart relation to the bottom side 20.

rPhe flexible bottom portion 18 of the seat 116, as shown, is formed by a plurality of three canvas strips 25, which are connected at their ends to the bottom sides 20 of the side frames 17, in spaced apart relation to each other, and a pair of cross strips 26 of like material which are connected to the strips 25 intermediate their ends.

The flexible back portion 19 of the seat 16, as shown, is formed by a single canvas strip 27, relatively wider than the strips 25, 26, which are connected at their ends to the rearward vertical sides 22 of the side frames 17.

In the arrangement described the crank 8 of the hoist 5 3 4is always within easy reach of the operator, and the gear ratio of the hoist 5 is such that the seat 16 may be raised and lowered slo`wly,w'hich is better for the patient, and without effort. The gears 9 of the hoist 5 act as a brake whereby ythe reel 7 remains in fixed position when not ,acted on by the crank 8.

Because of the exibility `of the bottom and back portions 18, 19 thereof, the seat 16 is readily conformable to aiwheel chair and to a bath tub in which it is receivable, as well as to the body of a patient.

V,The length of the strips 25, which with the cross strips 26 `forms the flexible Vbottom portion 18 of the seat 16, is such that the seat 16 will accommodate large persons as well as smaller ones..

The spaced apart relation of the strips 25 insures that water may be readily drained from the seat 16 and will not collect therein.

The length of the strip 27 which comprises the flexible back portion 1 9 of the seat 16, which advantageously may be somewhat longer than the strips 25 0f the bottom portion 18 thereof, is such that in use a patient seated in the seat 16 will necessarily lean yslightly in a rearward direction and thus will be prevented from inadvertently falling forwardly, out of the seat. The seat 16 is suspended from the chains 13 in a balanced position, and is readily maneuverable with complete safety.

The invention may be modied in various ways without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.

I claim:

1. `In combination with an overhead track having a wheeled carriage thereon, t-he -combination of a hand opera-ble hoist having a frame, a reel rotatable on the frame, and a crank acting on the reel, through speed reducing gears, to turn it relatively to the frame, a length of cable wound on Vsaid reel and having its free end connected to said carriage whereby said hoist is suspended from said carriage for vertical adjustment relative thereto, a horizontally. extending elongated member below said hoist having means intermediate its ends whereby it is pivotally connected to the frame of said hoist for rotative adjustment about a vertical axis, exible linkage connected to opposite end portions of said elongated member and depending therefrom, and a detachable seat having a pair of light weight side frame removably connected to said flexible linkage and depending therefrom, said side frames ea-ch consisting of an elongated member bent intermediate its ends to form a pentagon shaped open frame having a horizontally extending bottom side, a pair of vertically extending sides extending upwardly from the bottom side, and a lpair of upwardly converging sides each connected to one of the vertically extending sides in spaced apart relation to the bottom side, and having flexible bottom and back portions, conformable to the body of a patient seated therein, extending between said side frames.

2. Ink combination with an overhead track having a wheeled carriage thereon, the combination of a hand operable hoist having a frame, a reel rotatable on the frame,

and a crank acting on the reel, through speed reducing gears, to turn it relative to the frame, arlength of cable wound on said reel and having its free end connected to said carriage whereby saidvhoist is suspended from said carriage for vertical adjustment relative thereto, a horizontally extending ,elongated member below said hoist having means intermediate its ends whereby it is pivotally connected to t'he lframe of said hoist for rotative adjustment above a vertical axis, flexible linkage connected to opposite end portions of said elongated member and depending therefrom, and a detachable seat having a pair of light weight side frames removably connected to said flexible linkage and depending therefrom, said side Iframes each consisting of an enlongated mem-ber bent intermediate its ends to form a pentagon shaped open frame having a horizontally extending bottom side, a pair of vertically extending sides extending upwardly from the bottom side, and a pair of upwardly converging sides each connected to one of the vertically extending sides in spaced apart relation to the bottom side, and having flexible bottom and back portions, conformable to the body of a patient seated therein, extending between said side frames, the flexible bottom portion of the seat comprising a plurality of strips of webbing connected at their ends to the bottom sides of the side frames, in spaced apart relation to each other, and one or more cross strips of like material connected to said first mentioned strips intermediate their ends, and the flexible back portion of the seat comprising a single strip of webbing, relatively wider than said rst mentioned strips connected at its ends to the rearward vertical sides of the side frames.

3. The structure of claim 2, the length of said rst mentioned strips being such that said seat is adapted to accommodate large persons as well as smaller ones, and the spaced apart relation of said strips permitting water to be drained from said seat.

4. The structure of claim Z, the length of said last mentioned strip being somewhat longer than said rst mentioned strips and the arrangement being such that in use a patient seated in said seat will necessarily lean slightly in a rearward direction, and thus will be prevented from inadvertently falling forwardly, out of the seat, and said seat being suspended lfrom said flexible linkage in a balanced position and being readily maneuverable with complete safety.

' References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 635,038 10/1899 Ely 254-150 1,580,283 4/192-6A Brown 254-154 1,631,279 6/1927 Mandy 254-154 X 1,971,294 8/1934 Bunker 5-89 2,516,553 f 7/1950 Cole 5-86 2,680,855 6/1954 Robinson 5-83 X 2,821,406 l/1958 Hoyer et al. 5-87 X CASMIR A. NUNBERG, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN COMBINATION WITH AN OVERHEAD TRACK HAVING A WHEELED CARRIAGE THEREON, THE COMBINATION OF A HAND OPERABLE HOIST HAVING A FRAME, A REEL ROTATABLE ON THE FRAME, AND A CRANK ACTING ON THE REEL, THROUGH SPEED REDUCING GEARS, TO TURN IT RELATIVELY TO THE FRAME, A LENGTH OF CABLE WOUND ON SAID REEL AND HAVING ITS FREE END CONNECTED TO SAID CARRIAGE WHEREBY SAID HOIST IS SUSPENDED FROM SAID CARRIAGE FOR VERTICAL AJUSTMENT RELATIVE THERETO, A HORIZONTALLY EXTENDING ELONGATED MEMBER BELOW SAID HOIST HAVING MEANS INTERMEDIATE ITS ENDS WHEREBY IT IS PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO THE FRAME OF SAID HOIST FOR ROTATIVE ADJUSTMENT ABOUT A VERTICAL AXIS, FLEXIBLE LINKAGE CONNECTED TO OPPOSITE END PORTIONS OF SAID ELONGATED MEMBER AND DEPENDING THEREFROM, AND A DETACHABLE SEAT HAVING A PAIR OF LIGHT WEIGHT SIDE FRAME REMOVABLY CONNECTED TO SAID FLEXIBLE LINKAGE AND DEPENDING THEREFROM, SAID SIDE FRAMES 